Job Description and Person Specification
IRC 123753
Job Description
Department / Division:
Business Support Group, Corporate and Business Support Directorate,
National Oceanography Centre, Southampton
Post Title:
Head of Communications
Grade:
Band 5
Posts Responsible to (and
Level):
Posts Responsible for (and
Level):
Head of Business Support
The Communications Team
Job Purpose:
The Business Support function at the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) sits within the Corporate and
Business Support Directorate (CBS) and provides the professional services, for the whole of NOC in
support of it achieving its stated mission. The main purpose of the Head of Communications role is to
lead on raising the profile on NOC and working with the Innovation and Impact Manager to help to
demonstrate and publicise the beneficial economic impacts of NOC’s work by sourcing, writing and
publishing relevant ‘stories’. The methods used should be innovative, up to to date and use all available
media tools. The post holder is expected to be pro-active dynamic and energetic in delivery of their and
the teams objectives.
The core ethos of the CBS Directorate, within which the Business Support Group sits, is of each team
having clearly defined roles and responsibilities but of working closely with each other, and with other
service providers, both internal and external, to ensure a comprehensive, professional, seamless support
infrastructure to facilitate the core business of the Centre delivered by the Directorate of Science and
Technology (DST) and the National Marine Facilities Directorate (NMFD). Cross team working and
supporting the development of internal and external Service Level Agreements and the monitoring of
performance to agreed objectives and measures should be expected.
A key element in successful delivery of this post will be an underlying understanding of the work that is
undertaken across the Centre and to engage with the staff in a positive and pro-active way in order to
ensure that the profile of the work on NOC is reflected in the public domain in a way that reflects the
vision for the Centre. The postholder will be a member of the CBS Team Heads Operational Board giving
professional advice and making recommendations on associated actions which may be escalated or
reported to Executive Board.
The post holder will not only ensure that the branding presenting the Centre to the public, research
collaborators, infrastructure providers and users and funders of our science reflects NOC’s world
class status but that it is also fit for purpose in enabling the Head of Innovation and Impact and
Enterprise Office to leverage funding from it.
Key Accountabilities/Primary Responsibilities (6-10 bullet points maximum)
People Management
To create and manage a team of professional staff to provide a professional
communications service across NOC. This will include all facets of good people
management and:
1
% Time
1. The development of the team in line with the evolving needs of the Centre and its
constituent parts
2. Supporting the personal development needs of team members
3. Ensuring there is flexibility built into the team or through other teams to provide
cover during periods of absence or transition
4. Involvement in recruitment and training, coaching and mentoring where necessary
General Communications Duties:
 Leading on raising the profile of NOC and ensuring the oceans do not stay ‘out of
sight and out of mind’ by using leading edge technological solutions and other more
traditional methods as appropriate
 Working with the Innovation and Impact Manager to help to demonstrate and
publicise the beneficial economic impacts of NOC’s work by sourcing, writing and
publishing relevant ‘stories’
 Branding and in particular presenting the Centre to the public, research
collaborators, infrastructure providers and users and funders of our science in a way
that reflects our world class status
 Management of Events support - liaison with hosts, assistance with tours, provision
of speakers. Development on the NOC sites and exhibition areas (eg virtual tours,
displays etc)
 Developing, holding a store of and advising on the content for Exhibitions and
Conferences (visual presence and display materials which will help stimulate the
building of partnerships and attract funders)
 Internal Communications strategy, content drafting, presentation and development
of single intranet site (via iShare if possible)
 Marketing communication content
 Media relations
 Public Engagement – including prioritisation policy and strategy
 Publications (timely production of eg brochures, leaflets, annual reports)
 Publicity – creating and holding a central up to date and reliable store of impact
stories, materials, images, banners etc which can be quickly utilised
 Visual & Sound Media (Photography, digital image libraries, video, new & emerging
media)
 Web Content and Development - responsible for a strategy for prioritisation, timely
publication and management of the whole function/process end to end (with a
dotted line into IT who provide technical support to get content live).
Internal & External Relationships: (nature & purpose of relationships)
NOC Executive Board members;
Science and technology leaders across the organisation;
Scientists, researchers and key personnel across NOC, based at both Liverpool and Southampton;
Managers across the CBS teams;
Managers/Directors of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and their agents including UKSBS;
Managers at other NERC research centre/surveys across the country;
The Managers/Directors at the hosting partners - University of Liverpool and University of Southampton,
Delivery Partners and the wider NOC Association;
Internal and external suppliers, contractors and consultants;
Special Requirements:
All staff are expected to:
 Positively support equality of opportunity and equity of treatment to colleagues and students in
accordance with the NERC Equal Opportunities policy;
 Help maintain a safe working environment by:
o Attending training in Health and Safety requirements as necessary, both on appointment
and as changes in duties and techniques demand;
o Following local codes of safe working practices
 Ensure that their actions conform with the overall environmental aims of the Centre and minimise
2


their environmental impact
Undertake such other duties within the scope of the post as may be requested by your Manager.
Comply with the NERC Core Expectations
This job description reflects the core activities of the post, as the Centre and the post-holder evolves and
develops there will inevitably be some changes in the emphasis to the duties of the post. NERC expects
that the post-holder will recognise this and adopt a flexible approach to work and be willing to participate
in training where necessary. Should significant changes to the job description become necessary, the
post-holder will be consulted and the changes reflected in a revised job description.
The Centre is located at two sites – Liverpool and Southampton. The post holder will be predominantly
based at Southampton, but may be expected to work closely across both locations through a range of
means – email, telecommunication, video conferencing and physical presence.
3
Person Specification
Criteria
Essential
Desirable
Personal Skills / Qualities:
Requirement to initiate and develop procedures /
practices according to the changing requirements
of the customers and / or statutory regulations
and / or industry advances.

Must be able to apply their professional learning
to deliver effective solutions to the business

Must have excellent general analytical and
problem solving skills

The ability to manage a team of staff in a
business partnering environment.

Proven track record of development, mentoring
and coaching of staff within a team to ensure
that they operate efficiently and effectively.

Experience of identifying additional service
requirements or service short-falls and coordinating and/or designing, the delivery of an
innovative solution.

Experience of staff management, recruitment,
monitoring and development

Competent user of key ICT technologies
including MS Office

Excepted to be innovative and use all available
technology and up to date presentation methods
and feedback tools in order to ensure we are
reaching target audience effectively

Must be dynamic and pro-active in working
across the Centre to gather together relevant
material

Must foster a dynamic, agile and flexible working
environment across the Communications Team
and be able to prioritise workload raising issues
with relevant delivery Directors to gain insights
into alternative solutions

Knowledge & Experience related to position:
Membership of the Chartered Institute of
Management or the Institute for Public Relations

Experience of leading the marketing and publicity
in a complex environment

4
How to be
assessed
Experience of developing and successfully
implementing a marketing strategy

Experience of organising a wide variety of events
with 3rd parties – conferences, official visits, etc
Experience of development publicity materials in
a variety of different media – printed, web-based
to meet the organisations, and customer
requirements

Experience of developing sound relationships
with the core staff of an organisation and
reflecting that in team structures, roles and
responsibilities such that sound working
relationships develop between all parties

Experience of developing sound relations with
the press and media marketing channels

Capable of contributing at a high level to the
development of new business initiatives

Experience of planning, successfully prioritising
and progressing work activities within general,
professional guidelines or organisational policy,
using initiative and independent judgement

Qualifications:
Degree of equivalent
OR
Significant relevant experience demonstrating
development through the acquisition of
appropriate professional or specialist knowledge
and involvement in a series of progressively more
demanding relevant work/roles

Postgraduate qualification in a marketing related
discipline or an MBA with a significant bias
towards marketing or publicity

Presence / Communication Skills:
Expected to show independence and initiative in
addressing allocated tasks

Must be able to organise and prioritise workload
in order to meet deadlines

Have to be able to coordinate the collation and
validation of data from multiple sources

Excellent communication and presentational
skills are vital

Ability to write copy

Ability to provide press-briefings, advice and
support for non-specialists

5
Must be able to explain marketing related
concepts in an understandable way to non
professionals

Must be able to form effective working
relationships with staff of various levels of
seniority and disciplines


Experience of providing training.

Ability to build long term relationships and
maintain them across the wider organisation,
stakeholders and suppliers.
Special Requirements:
A team player with the ability to build and
maintain a motivated team who work in a
seamless way with colleagues across the
Directorate in order to support the delivery of the
Centre’s mission and strategy in its broadest
sense

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